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While talking this past week on how to get public commenters to stop talking all mean about people, the Clark County triumvirate of David Madore, Tom Mielke and Steve Stuart also discussed how they should potentially go about not being jerks to one another. Well, Mielke talked about it. “When we have our conversations between […]

Sometimes it’s best to quit while you’re ahead. Clark County Commissioner David Madore appeared to have majority support for a transit-related resolution during this week’s C-Tran board meeting, only to see it evaporate during deliberation. Madore had introduced a resolution calling for C-Tran to “discuss, consider, and courteously regard” the outcome of last week’s advisory […]

During a Nov. 8 fundraising event, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt was featured in a video that would have been a little awkward had the Nov. 5 election results turned out differently. The “Symbol of Freedom,” event was a benefit for CDM Services and featured Clint Hill, a former Secret Service agent who was with President John F. […]

… is my friend. That’s the saying that came to mind when I saw this photo of Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and former Mayor Royce Pollard, who was defeated by Leavitt in 2009. Pollard, who consistently reminds Leavitt’s buddy Commissioner Steve Stuart he hasn’t always liked him (which, to be fair, counts as praise from […]

When I wrote Thursday’s story about Bill Turlay conceding the mayoral race, I didn’t have a copy of his email and Mayor Tim Leavitt hadn’t yet received it. But if you were curious about what Turlay wrote in the email, here it is – he kept it short & sweet. And Leavitt’s response:

Lesson learned: Don’t file a public records request with Vancouver during the holidays. A story today takes a look at the top overtime earners in cities across Clark County. What started as a year-end story turned into a weeks-long exercise in journalistic dyspepsia, as I waited, with growing unease, for the city to pass along […]

One of the mavens’ favorite national nonprofit organizations, the Sunshine Review, has released its 2013 Transparency Report Card. Washington ranks among the top 5 performing states when it comes to open government, along with California, Illinois, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The worst-performing states? Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska and South Dakota. Grades are based on what type […]

Maven Erik is out sick, so I’m filling in on my old county beat. And what did Commissioner Tom Mielke say when he saw me this morning? “We didn’t cut funding.” He was referring to our lead A1 story, “County cuts economic group’s funding”. That was the print headline, anyway. The online headline was longer: […]

Washougal City Councilor Paul Greenlee is at wits’ end about how to improve communication with citizens. The city is moving forward with drafting a “Strategic Plan Roadmap” for the city, and a big chunk of the plan is dedicated to improving communication and engagement with residents. Noble, I suppose. But Greenlee is stumped. And he’s […]

When I took over the city beat from Andrea Damewood, she gave me a few tips, such as the fact that Chad Eiken is the most powerful person in Vancouver City Hall. Eiken, director of the Community and Economic Development Department, recently issued a six-page report on his department’s accomplishments for 2012. Let’s see … […]